Your refrigerator is without a doubt one of the most critical appliances in your home. It has a huge role to play in keeping your food from spoiling, allowing you to store food for longer. However, these appliances are not immune to problems. Just like other appliances they succumb to daily wear and tear. Here are some common refrigerator problems to watch out for.
Common Refrigerator Problems - How to Fix Your Fridge and Freezer
Caring for your appliances is important. When it comes to common problems for fridges, typically it can be due to a water leak, the cycling too often, or the freezer isn’t cold enough. Below we will discuss what causes these issues, and how to go about fixing and maintaining your fridge.
Water Leaking on The Floor
Water on your floor can be caused by several things. Fortunately, the two most common reasons are quick and easy fixes.
A blocked defrost drain is one of the major causes of water leaking on the floor. This drain is usually located on the back wall of the freezer, and will typically clog due to a buildup of debris or food particles. When this happens, it can lead to a buildup of ice and water leaking out of the fridge and freezer. Fixing this is easy. Just try using warm water to drain the hole from the inside. You can also use a pipe cleaner to remove the clog. If that doesn’t work, consider manually removing the buildup that’s clogging the valve at the end of the drain hose.
From time to time, a frozen or clogged water supply line will also cause water to leak underneath the refrigerator. This may also stop or slow the flow of water from the dispenser and affect the production of ice from the ice maker. To fix the issue, start by unplugging the refrigerator and locating the shut-off valve. Make sure the valve is closed and look for any kinks, clogs or leaks in the plastic supply line. If there is any tear or break in the line, replace the water supply line.
Freezer Isn’t Cold Enough
If your freezer isn’t getting as cold as it should be, there’s a simple fix you can try. If you discover that the problem is in your freezer unit, check if the freezer’s back wall is cold. If it’s cold, check if you can feel air flowing from the vents in the freezer or if you can hear the evaporator fan running. If you can’t, then the chances are that it’s a problem with the freezer evaporator fan. If the fan is running and you can feel the air flowing, check on the refrigerator’s compressor and clean any dust that could be preventing air from moving across the coils.
Unit is Cycling too Often
One of the reasons your unit could be cycling too often is when there’s a buildup of dust and debris around the condenser coils. To fix this, start by unplugging your fridge. The condenser coils are usually located on the very bottom of your fridge and you can access them from the front or the back. Remove the grills and use a vacuum to remove the buildup of dust and debris around the condenser coils.
Bottom Line
Other common refrigerator problems include a sheet of ice on the freezer floor, built up frost in the ice dispenser and the fresh food compartment warming up. Some of these problems are easy to fix but sometimes you may need to replace the fridge, so always seek professional help when you’re not sure.
